


A Court of Embers and Exiles

by LMFawkes



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas, Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M, Fae & Fairies, Friendship, Gen, Hybern, Love, Mates, Multi, Prythian, Swords, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-03-06
Packaged: 2021-02-23 07:28:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23007898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LMFawkes/pseuds/LMFawkes
Summary: Lucien has moved to live at the Manor with Vassa and Jurian. He has found a home and a life with his Band of Exiles, but at the cost of leaving his mate behind. Can he find a way to ignite the embers between him and Elaine, or will he stoke the flames with the firebird Queen?
Relationships: Elain Archeron & Feyre Archeron & Nesta Archeron, Elain Archeron & Lucien Vanserra, Elain Archeron/Azriel, Elain Archeron/Graysen, Feyre Archeron/Rhysand, Feyre Archeron/Rhysand/Lucien Vanserra, Jurian/Lucien Vanserra, Lucien Vanserra/Original Character(s), Lucien Vanserra/Vassa
Comments: 3
Kudos: 19





	1. Lucien

"Elain. Elain." Lucien closed his eyes and chanted his mate's name in his mind as another peal of Vassa's laughter rang through his ears. He glanced back just as she dodged the apple Jurian threw at her and laughed again. "She's not Elain" he muttered to himself. "She's not your mate."

It had been two months since the three of them had been back at the manor together. The latest quest to find a cure for Vassa had been unsuccessful and so now their focus was on rebuilding the human territories of Prythian and protecting the fragile new treaty between their people. Lucien loved spending his days listening to his best friends bicker back and forth over their different ideas on ruling. The three of them had come to know more about each other than anyone else did. Being Vassa's emissary to the Fey courts gave him a purpose that he hadn't felt in a long time and being her friend, and Jurian's, had helped to fill the void left behind by his fractured relationship with Tamlin. He knew he should be desperate for his mate too. That he shouldnt be able to think of anything else but smelling her, touching her, tasting her. But truth be told, he didn't know what to think anymore. The longer he stayed at the manor, the harder it became to remember all of the things he needed to go back to Velaris for. It became harder to think of anything except the woman he lived with. The woman he swore an oath to. The woman whose face he saw when he closed his eyes. Even as his mate's name echoed in his mind. 

The first time he left Velaris, left his mate behind to go and search for Vassa and a way to save Prythian from the King of Hybern, it had been almost unbearable. The mating bond was too new, the wound of her rejection too fresh, and he spent his days fighting the urge to give up and return to beg at her feet. But after the war, after he tried and failed to engage Elain, leaving again had been almost relief. He couldn't bear to be in the same room with her, to feel her disdain towards him, to watch her waste away, pining over some mortal man who didn't deserve her. "Sometimes the cauldron gets it wrong" he thought. Instantly filling with shame at his mind's betrayal he glanced again to his friends, to the rising sun through the dining room window reflecting orange light off the golden red of Vassa's hair and whispered it to himself again. 

Elain and Vassa couldn't be more different. One of them was fair and delicate and more lovely than the loveliest rose in the gardens of the Spring Court. The other was tan and fierce and shone as bright as the firebird she was cursed to become in the daylight. His mate and his closest friend. One he was soul sworn to and one to whom he swore his allegiance. One reminded him of his beautiful mother, the other of...Jesminda. 

It hurt to think about her still. His first love. The last breath of her life took a piece of him that could never be replaced. For hundreds of years he had mourned that loss, and now he could almost see her again, reflected in the most stunning pair of blue eyes he had ever seen. The eyes of a cursed, mortal queen desperate to find a cure and reclaim her kingdom. 

"Lucien? Ready to go?" Lucien snapped out of his thoughts to find Jurian smirking at him from the doorway. Vassa must have already headed outside in order to shift into her daytime form. As Lucien approached his friend, Jurian clasped him on the shoulder. "Noone would blame you, brother", he said. "For what?", Lucien asked. "Moving on" replied Jurien quietly. Lucien just increased his stride down the hallway and said "I don't know what you're talking about."


	2. Elain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief glimpse into Elain's thoughts back in Velaris.

Elain patted down the dirt over her freshly planted rosebush and leaned back to survey the garden. It was coming along nicely and new blooms were opening every day. Feyre and Rhysand begged her to let the lawn guardians assist her, but she refused to let anyone else lift a hand to help her. The gardens were hers. The one aspect of her life she could control. Tending them gave moments of peace that made her feel whole. She hadnt felt that way in a really long time. Not since the day Hybern took her. 

She could still feel the cold. The bone numbing cold of the cauldron. The water covering her head. The endless falling. Elain shuddered and pushed it out of her mind. She wouldn't think about that now. She wouldn't think about him either. Her mate. She still couldn't think the words without wrinkling her nose. She knew that Lucien was a good male and had helped them win the war. But he had also allowed them to be sold out to Hybern. He had stood by while she and Nesta had been forced into the cauldron. Elain felt a tiny tug from deep inside her and she drew in a sharp breath. "Stop that" she whispered. She knew he occasionally checked on her through the bond that they shared. She hated it. It was another thing she couldn't control. Elain had watched Feyre and Rhysand long enough to know what a typical mating looked like. She knew she should be half feral over the thought of Lucien living at that manor house with Vassa, but she felt nothing but relief. In fact, the only thing she ever thought about regarding the manor house was Greyson. 

He hated her now. He hated that she was Fey and he would never forgive her. The last time she saw Greyson after the war, he wouldn't even look her way. He stayed closed to Jurian and left without a word to anyone else. He never even said goodbye. Elain knew that Greyson and his father worked closely with Vassa and Jurian now governing the human lands. She sometimes felt a flare of anger down the bond. Even though it was faint she knew it was Lucien seeing Greyson or having contact with him. She knew her mate was feeling a protection over what he thought was his. She growled at that thought. She may not be as powerful as Feyre or as strong as Nesta but she belonged to no one. She refused to let the cauldron choose who she was fated to be or be with. As Elain stood from the dirt and surveyed all the beauty around her she decided it was time to reclaim the life she wanted. With her head held high she strode towards the estate.


	3. Vassa

The war was over. That meant time was running out. He would only let her stay away so long before he yanked her leash and forced her back to that lake on the continent. Time passed differently for the Death god she was cursed to serve and she knew it may take anywhere from one year to 200 but he would eventually remember she was gone and summon her to return. Finding a way to break her curse was vital. She was praying that her friends could help her. Her friends and the High Lady of the Night Court, Feyre. Feyre possessed the powers of every court, given to her for her sacrifices Under the Mountain. If there was anyone who could break the curse it was her. Vassa wouldn't push though. Not yet. Not while Feyre and her sisters were still mourning their father. Not while Vassa was still mourning him as well. The Prince of Merchants had been the closest thing to a father that Vassa had ever had. When she first sailed away from the lake in his ship 'The Nesta' it was the first time she had felt free in a very long time. He had saved her. Even if it was to be for a brief time, she would make sure to honor his memory. She would find a way to keep the promise she had made to him. One day. "There you are V". She turned her head and tried not to smile at the man standing in the doorway. He looked so formal tonight. His red hair was pulled back with leather, his Spring Court clothes impeccable. He looked as though he was ready to attend a ball instead of planning with the war council. "Luc" she nodded to him in response."I've been right here". His face was stern. "I've been looking for you. Graysen and his men are outside. "

Lucien did not follow behind her but closely at her side as they made their way down the hall and out into the night. "Lord Graysen" Vassa greeted. "Lady Vassa" he began. She raised a hand to quiet him and said "Queen". He looked flustered for a moment before starting again. "My lady". Lucien growled softly beside her and through barely concealed teeth said "Your majesty". Vassa felt a jolt of surprise at the fury in those words. He had never shown so much defense regarding human titles before. He had never shown such defense of her. Graysen had the good sense to not challenge Lucien as he gave her the tiniest bow and said "We are riding into the village to bring supplies. Wood and iron are needed for building. The villagers have been asking after you. Would you like to accompany me?" Vassa heard a soft snarl from her left. She took a half a step closer to Lucien. "Yes, thank you Graysen. We will notify Jurian that we are leaving and then we would be honored to join you." She pretended not to see his disappointment at her use of the word 'we'. She could have gone by herself but suddenly she didn't want Lucien to worry about her being alone with Graysen and she was unsure why, or why her heart was beating so fast. 

Jurian was busy overseeing a meeting with the human generals in the war room. Their small army of humans led by Graysen's father's men had taken a huge hit during the war and they were working hard to train, develop, and organize new soldiers. Graysen's father had once hated the Fey so much he build a fortress of an estate made of iron. Now he worked side by side with Jurian to help ensure the treaty was upheld and that the threats from the other Fey continents outside of Prythian were minimized. Jurian was a great leader and invaluable to Vassa both as a ruler in his own right and also as a friend. He would lead as general of all of her armies one day when she reclaimed her kingdom If she wasn't so stubborn, she would marry him and make him King. Vassa had sacrificed so much already for her people, her birthright. She didn't want to sacrifice her heart too. When she married, if she ever did, it would be for love. Jurian was happy for them to visit the village as it gave him the opportunity to receive information that wasn't jaded. "Watch Greysen" he whispered to Lucien as he casually strolled around the table. Vassa pretended like she didn't hear. Inwardly she seethed at the insinuation that she couldn't watch him herself but she knew her friend was only trying to protect her and the lands they were working so hard to turn into a kingdom of their own. It was dark outside and not all of the villagers were pleased with their new leadership, or their new Fey emissary. She couldn't help though as she turned to leave the meeting room, sticking her tongue out at Jurian when noone was looking. He clasped a hand over his chest in mock horror and turned back to his soldiers. His laughter followed them down the hall. Lucien, however, was quiet beside her. "Let's hear it Luc" she said. He looked at her with that golden eye. "What?" "I know what you're thinking" she said. "I know what he's after. " Another growl from deep inside him. She reached out a hand and touched his arm. He stopped dead and she stepped away. "I'm not going to fall for Greysen" she said quietly. Lucien just stared at her a moment and then walked out into the darkness.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first part of a new series following up with characters from the A Court of Thorns and Roses and the world of Prythian. Your comments and support are appreciated! *The world will be saved, and remade, by the dreamers. *


End file.
